Deception
by Lone Warwolf
Summary: Guess who's back with a whole new set of problems? Someone has to make a choice that risks tearing everyone's relationships apart, maybe even ruining lives, but a life or death mission rebirths unity. A life is lost in the process. girlxgirl
1. A Big Welcome Home

First things first, this is a sequel, so read BH first so you're not completely lost.

Second...DISCLAIMER: I don't own TS. Marathon does. Get over it.

Sam sat in her desk, taking out the essay that had been assigned for homework the previous night. She read over it quickly, blocking out everything else. Anything less than perfection was unsatisfactory. Even as the teacher began to read off the list of names on her class roster, Sam only half listened.

"Edwards, Timothy."

Sam noticed some minor punctuation errors in her essay, easy fixes. She began to make the proper corrections to the paper.

"Simpson, Samantha."

"Here, ma'am." Sam answered. She only briefly looked up from her paper. There had been no assigned topics. And the teacher, who continued to list every name on the list, had assigned everyone topics that seemed to be completely obscure. Sam had been given "Lessons That Modern Day People Can Learn From Shakespeare". Not easy, but not hard for her, either.

"Tailor, Lindsey."

"Yup."

Sam's head snapped up. She couldn't have possibly heard what she thought she just did. She slowly turned in her desk to see none other than ex Super Spy, Lindsey Tailor. She was seated in the very back of the class, her feet propped up on her bulging book bag, her arms behind her head. She seemed completely relaxed in that tough, sexy kind of way. Sam faced the front, her face flushed. Why hadn't Lindsey contacted her before coming back to Beverly Hills?

"I want you all to pass your essays...to the _back_ of the class. Your peers at the ends of the rows will then bring the essays to me."

Sam raised an eyebrow, but passed her essay back anyway, even though the instruction seemed a bit odd. She heard Lindsey sigh that ever-familiar sigh as she stood. Lindsey walked to the front of the row, stopping next to Sam's desk. She handed the papers to the teacher. Sam looked up, smiling, but was discouraged by the fact that Lidnsey didn't even give her a sideways glance. Instead, she just went back to her seat.

Mrs. Alley, the teacher, preceded in having the class take out their books. They put on an in-class performance of Macbeth. Sam, who would normally have been totally enthralled in the piece of literature, was absorbed in her own thoughts.

There were a thousand different emotions running through her head all at the same time, and none of them complimented the others. She was happy to see Lindsey back and safe, but was mad that she hadn't called. She was hurt at the fact that Lindsey hadn't even shown her any sign of recognition and practically ignored her, but she was relieved that she was nearby. Sam put so much thought into the conflict going on inside of her own head that she didn't even notice the bell ring. It wasn't until the last student aside from herself shuffled out of the classroom that she snapped out of her reverie and gathered her things, making a hasty exit.

Sam trudged down the hallway, an odd sense of mild depression settling over her. She made her way to her locker in an almost zombie-like fashion, turning the dial according to her combination. She opened and placed her Literature book inside, closing the door after she'd retrieved her book for her Advanced Calculus class. She heaved a sigh, thankful that after Calc. was lunch.

"What's up with you, Sammy? You look like you just found the perfect pair of jeans that didn't come in your size." Clover asked, placing a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"There's nothing wrong." Sam replied, faking a smile.

"Are you sure, Sammy? You seem kind of down." Alex asked. She bore a look of innocent concern, making Sam feel guilty for lying. But she didn't want them to worry about her.

"I promise, girls, it's nothing. I'm great!" she lied, dryly faking peppiness.

"Well, I have great news!" Clover said, making a complete topic jump. "Lindsey's back in town."

"REALLY!?" Alex squealed, practically jumping for joy. Clover nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, I know. She's in my British Lit. class." Sam said, forcing her innermost emotions aside.

"I wonder why she didn't call and tell us she was back..." Alex said, scratching her head.

"Who cares, so long as she's back! So how's she been Sammy?"

"Um...well, we didn't really talk." Sam answered. Clover and Alex looked at her blankly. "Well, we had a lot t do in class today. We started Macbeth, and we read through Acts I and II, so there wasn't much time for any socializing."

"Hmmm... Well, whatever. We'll just have to steal her away at lunch and talk to her then, right, girls?" Clover asked, beaming a huge smile. Alex nodded and Sam simply gave a weak smile.

"Well, we don't want to be late, so we'd better go ahead and get to class." Sam said, attempting to end the conversation. It was obvious to her that changing topics was out of the question.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Clover agreed. "See you two at lunch!"

"Yeah. Bye, Sammy, Clover!"

And Clover and Alex went on their ways, leaving Sam alone in the hallway. Hopefully Calculus could get her mind off of this. It wasn't worth stressing out over. Lindsey had always had a professional attitude in the classroom. Maybe that's what it was. Sam shrugged it off for now and headed to her classroom.

The bell to go to lunch rang, sending students teeming into the halls. Alex rushed to meet up with Sam and Clover so they could go and find Lindsey. She wasn't that hard to find, but the three of them together meant that they'd find her three times faster since they'd be covering three times the visual ground. They stepped into the cafeteria, each turning their heads in all directions to try and spot Lindsey.

"I don't see her anywhere!" Alex huffed, crossing her arms.

"Don't worry, she might be in the courtyard or somewhere. Maybe out in the quad." Sam said, analyzing alternatives to the solution.

"Uh, girl, something tells me that she's not in the quad OR the courtyard..." Clover grumbled. She extended a finger, and Sam and Alex looked in the direction where she was pointing. Across the cafeteria at one of the tables by one of the massive windows was Lindsey, sipping on a cappuccino, joined by Dominique, Caitlin, and of course, none other than Mandy. From what Sam could see, they were having a great time, laughing and joking like old friends. Sam didn't even noticed her hands ball up into fists, to preoccupied with the fact that Caitlin had her head on Lindsey's shoulder and was clinging to her arm.

The spies walked over to the table, Sam leading the group.

"Hey, Lindsey, you might want to watch out. God knows what you'll catch from those tramps." Sam snarled. Clover gave Alex an astonished look. They'd never heard Sam make such a direct attack against someone. She always did it in retaliation, never initiating the confrontation until now. Caitlin spun around in her seat and glared up at Sam.

"Who're YOU calling a tramp, you reject?" she spat.

"Oh, yeah, great comeback. How about you leave the thinking to the lesser idiot in the group. She seems to be the only one who can actually generate any coherent thought out of the three of you, anyway!"

Everyone in the area was staring, wide-eyed at each other except for Caitlin and Sam, who were snarling like two Rottweilers about to fight over a bone. Lindsey was just sitting there, her calm demeanor offsetting the entire situation.

"Well, at least I have a decent fashion sense! Where'd you get those clothes, the bargain store in the downtown district!?"

That one even caused Lindsey to look up. There was the slightest hint of a smirk on her face, but it quickly dissipated.

"How about you get your filthy hands off of her!" Sam half-screamed. Lindsey looked up and raised an eyebrow. Caitlin opened her mouth to reply, but Lindsey raised a hand, silencing her. She stood.

"I must say, this has been thrillingly entertaining, but...you girls are getting a little to aggressive for my tastes." Lindsey said, finishing off her cappuccino. She placed the empty Styrofoam cup down on the table and turned to walk away.

"We're still gonna do that party thing this Friday, right?" Caitlin asked, shooting Sam a nasty look before turning a sweet smile to Lindsey. Lindsey paused and looked back, shrugging.

"I don't know. It was never definite to begin with."

And with that, she was off, leaving the six other girls there, two of them fuming, and the other four flabbergasted. Sam growled at Caitlin one more time before she stomped away, grabbing Clover and Alex by the wrists and dragging them along, too. Mandy, Caitlin, and Dominique watched as they left.

"What was HER problem?" Mandy asked, turning to Caitlin.

Out in the courtyard, Sam caught up with Lindsey. She had earlier let go of Clover and Alex's wrists and had gone ahead, practically sprinting. Lindsey turned to face her, leaning against a wall casually.

"That was really mature back there."

"Yeah, I know, it was..."

"Stupid was what it was. What's wrong with you, Sam? Did you just turn into a complete idiot while I was gone?" Lindsey asked, disappointment obvious in her voice. Sam drew back, the words biting her deep.

"No, but Caitlin was...and you were...And you ignored me in Lit. class!" Sam said, attempting to construct some form of defense.

"I didn't ignore you in Lit. Did you even bother to check you pockets after class?"

Sam frowned. What did Lindsey mean? She dug her hand into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a neatly folded note. She opened it up and was greeted by Lindsey's small, sharp script. the note read:

" Sam,

I'm back in town, as you can obviously see. Forgive me for not calling ahead of time. Circumstances got in the way of that. but anyway, I was wondering if you'd maybe be interested in hanging out Friday night. We don't have to do anything special, but it would be nice if we could catch up. Talk to you later.

Lindsey."

Sam stared at the note, tears starting to form in her eyes. So much for her original assumptions.

"You van go ahead and toss that in the trash. After that display in there, I'm not sure that I WANT to hang out with you." Lindsey said, her expression not changing. Sam was humiliated. She had just started yelling at Caitlin for no reason. She had been jealous, sure, but even so, she realized that she had acted childishly. She had acted like...Clover.

"I understand. I don't have any excuse." Sam said, her eyes to the ground.

"You've got that right. But I'll tell you what, when you decide that you can grow up, give me a call." Lindsey muttered. She walked past Sam.

"Lindsey, wait..."

"No."

"At least let me apologize before you walk away!"

Lindsey stopped and turned around to face Sam.

"I'm waiting, Sam."

"Well..." Sam started. She took a deep breath, taking a quick look around to see if there were any eavesdroppers. "After what went on than night...before you left...I just thought that we had something...And seeing you with Caitlin got me jealous...And I'm sorry, Lidnsey."

"Sam, I will admit, I do care about you. But you have to understand something. Sex is not love. Nor does sex commit two people to one another. I care about you, Sam, but we're too much alike, I think. It would fall apart fast." Lindsey explained. Sam felt her heart drop into her stomach. Lindsey saw her distress and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Sam, you're an amazing person, one of the best I've ever met, but we think too much alike, you and I. We'd fight like a cat and a dog locked in a broom closet." Lindsey started. She wiped away the tears that had begun to trail down Sam's cheeks. "And honestly, I don't think I'm good enough for you."

Sam wanted to argue. She wanted to protest, to fall down and kick and scream to get her way, but she knew that Lindsey was as stubborn as she was and wouldn't give in. Sam pushed her tears back, refusing to let anymore fall. She forced a smile, trying to make herself feel better. Lindsey sighed.

"Hey, if you don't want to hang out this weekend, I understand, okay? Just tell me when you want to."

"Okay. I will." Sam answered. She rubbed her face with her palms. She gave Lindsey a slightly more sincere smile. At least Lindsey wasn't mad at her.

"But, hey, the bell's about to ring, so I'm gonna get going, alright? Later. Take it easy, Sam." Lindsey said. She turned and walked away, glancing back as she waved, leaving Sam by herself for the most part.

The rest of the day barely crawled by for Sam. Her last two classes of the day were murder. After school, Alex met Sam at her car in the parking lot, but Clover was nowhere to be found.

"Do you have any clue where she could be, Sam?" Alex asked. Sam shrugged.

"No clue. She's probably on a spontaneous date or something. Who knows."

Alex nodded, knowing her best friend's habits. They got into the flashy convertible, and just as Sam started the engine, they spotted Clover sprinting down the steps and through the parking lot. She slid into the car.

"Hey, girls. Sorry I'm late."

"Did you have a meeting with the football team or something?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, Clover, you took longer than usual." Sam added. Both she and Alex chuckled. Their joking air was ruined, though, when they heard the nasally laughter of one Mandy Luxe.

"The football team? Yeah, right, more like the Chess Team!"

"No WAY would I ever do anything with those geeks! I wouldn't encroach on your territory. I'm not a boy-stealing BACK-STABBER!" Clover spat.

"What EVER! Don't be mad that you're a sore loser, Clover. Not everyone can maintain MY level of perfection." Mandy snorted. She laughed and flipped her hair, flashing the girls a malicious grin.

"UGH! C'mon, Sammy, let's run her over!" Clover spat.

"Clover!" Alex said.

"Psh...Yeah, right...Anyways, the only reason I'm here wasting my time with you three _losers_ is because Caitlin wanted me to give this to Lindsey since she doesn't have her cell number. I figure that you dorks would serve as good mailmen, so here you go." Mandy said, tossing an intricately folded note into the car, right on Alex's lap. "Later, losers!"

"WHY does she have to torture US, of all people..." Clover growled after Mandy was gone. They were already halfway home. Alex was holding onto the note tightly, not letting it go.

"What do you think it says?" Alex asked.

"Psh, who knows. It's probably something stupid. If you're that curious, though, just read it." Clover answered.

"Don't do that! That's a total invasion of privacy, Clover!" Sam protested. Alex looked from Clover to Sam, then back to Clover.

"You know that you want to know just as bad as I do..."

Sam looked at the note in Alex's hands. Her curiosity began to grow, and she realized that Clover was right.

"Fine. I mean, it's not like she'll find out..."

Alex hastily unfolded the paper and began to read it aloud.

""Lidnsey, let me just say that I really had a good time this past weekend. It was a lot of fun! And I was really hoping that we could do it again sometime. I know that it seems like I'm being persistent, but it's because I have very strong feelings for you. I think I might just be in love! Well, anyway, you have my cell number, so give me a call sometime! XOXO -- Caitlin""

"Okay...That's only a HUGE clue that something's going on with them..." Clover muttered.

"No. Lindsey wouldn't do anything with her. Lindsey wouldn't even bother." Sam said quickly.

"Clover's right, Sam. As much as it completely sucks, that's what it points to."

"She told me that there was nothing going on."

"Did she say those words exactly?" Clover asked. Sam was silent. Lindsey had never admitted or denied that there was anything between her and Caitlin. All she had really said was that Sam's jealousy was childish. That wasn't revealing much about the situation. Alex's phone began to ring, and she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Where are you?"

"Lindsey?" Alex asked. Alex and Clover listened intently. "I'm on the way home...No, I haven't heard anything...Where is it?...Okay, I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any guarantees. Where are you, anyway?...Oh...Well, I'll see if Sam'll drop me off there, and maybe she can give both of us a ride. Y'know, so I don't have to worry about finding it on my own. Alright?...Okay. See you soon, then...Uh huh. Buh bye."

Alex hung up her phone. Clover was staring at her intently, and Sam kept on glancing at her from the corner of her eye.

"So? What's she up to? Spending time with _Caitlin?"_ Sam asked, a particular acidity to the girl's name. Alex shook her head.

"Nope. She's over at Mandy's house right now." Alex answered.

"Doing what?" Clover asked.

"Probably just hanging out."

"Psh...Cha right. With Mandy there never is just "hanging out". She's up to something."

"Clover, not everything that has to do with Mandy involves a scheme. She's been friends with Lindsey ever since Lindsey moved here." Alex said, surprised that she was actually taking up Mandy's defense.

"Where were you two talking about going?" Sam asked.

"Lindsey's storage garage. She had all of her cars locked up except for her Mustang, and she said she's getting tired of it. So we're gonna go to the garage and switch out cars."

"Why does she need you for that?"

"Well, we promised each other when we were little that, if anything ever happened to one of us, the other would get our most prized possession. Lindsey's are her cars."

"So, what, does she think she's gonna die soon or something?" Clover asked. Alex shrugged her shoulders. Sam rolled to a stop in front of Mandy's house, letting Alex get out of the car.

"Thanks, girls! I'll see you later!"

Alex waved as Sam drove off. She folded the still open note back up and shoved it into the pocket of her shorts. Walking up Mandy's driveway felt weird to Alex. But she was there for Lidnsey, not Mandy. Alex knocked on the door, half-surprised, half-relieved that Lindsey answered the door.

"Hey. Hold on." Lindsey said. She stuck her head into the doorway. "Mandy! C'mon! Jeeze, Princess!"

"She's not ready?" Alex asked, trying to peer around Lindsey.

"She's primping or something. I don't know." Lindsey ducked back inside. "MANDY! You're being worse than usual!"

"So does she still get mad when you call her princess?"

"Yeah. But she tries to play it off like she's taking it as a compliment. It's funny."

"I'm coming! Good-NESS you're acting like there's a half-off sale at the mall or something..." Mandy grumbled. Lidnsey stepped outside, followed by Mandy, who looked at Alex and gave her a small smile.

"Hi, Mandy."

Mandy just kind of raised her eyebrows in acknowledgment. Lindsey sighed and gave her a glare. The trio walked over to Mandy's Spyder convertible. As they neared the car, Alex overheard Lindsey whispering to Mandy.

"Come on, you said you'd be nice."

"I AM being nice."

"Well, do ME a favor and be nice-ER."

Mandy sighed and walked around to the driver's side door, sliding into the seat. Lindsey climbed into the passenger seat, and Alex sat behind her. She felt that she was in for a long car ride...


	2. Words Now Spoken

Chapter Two's done, and three's on the way.

Disclaimer: TS Not mine.

Caitlin picked up her phone and opened it, scrolling through her contacts. She found Lindsey's picture and name, opening the options menu. She knew that Lindsey next to never answered her phone, so her best bet would be to send a text message. Caitlin entered her message and hit send. She laid back on her couch, sighing. She waited until Lindsey texted back. They conversation they had went as follows:

Caitlin: So...what're you up to? ; P

Lindsey: Nm. Just hanging out. You?

Caitlin: Waiting for your answer.

Lindsey: To...?

Caitlin: Our date this weekend...

Lindsey: Oh, that. Are you even sure that you WANT to go on another date?

Caitlin: Why, aren't you?

Lindsey: Honestly, no clue. 1 was fun, but...Idk.

Caitlin: Well, can we at least hang out?

Lindsey:...

Caitlin: As friends ONLY.

Lindsey: I'll think about it.

Caitlin: Okay!

Lindsey: I'll txt you later. Busy.

Caitlin: Byez!

After that, Lindsey didn't reply. She knew that she had an attraction to Lindsey, and on their last date, it seemed Lindsey had the same kind of attraction towards Caitlin. Ever since she and Sam had gotten into that near screaming match at lunch, Lindsey had been acting distant. She was afraid that there was something going on between them...

Caitlin laughed out loud, expelling the thoughts from her head. Sam and Lindsey...how ridiculous. Anyone could see that they just weren't meant for each other. Not to mention, Sam seemed too reserved to do any experimenting with sexual boundaries. Then again, not many people thought that Caitlin had it in her, either. But here she was, swooning over another girl, trying everything she could to get at least five minutes alone with her, just to steal one kiss.

That's part of what she liked about Lindsey. Everyone else that she had ever gone on a date with had tried to get as far as they could the first time. Lindsey hadn't done more than hold her hand. Caitlin figured that Lindsey was one of those people who liked to take it slow, find her own pace in the relationship and keep up with it that way. She'd have to break her of that, no matter how adorable it was.

Caitlin's phone vibrated, causing her to give a start. She hadn't been expecting Lindsey to text her back so soon. But when she opened the text message, she saw that it was from Mandy instead.

Mandy: Stay away from Lindsey.

Caitlin reread the text three or four times. Stay away from Lindsey? Why would Mandy be concerned? It's not like if Caitlin and Lindsey started to date that she'd have any less time for Mandy. Mandy was one of her best friends...Now, anyway. Caitlin had gone from being devoted follower/fan to being a friend. Sort of. As much of a friend as she could be. Was it that Mandy was jealous of Lindsey? Caitlin decided to text Mandy back.

Caitlin: Why?

Mandy: Just do it. No questions.

Caitlin: I want to know why ur saying that. You know how I feel.

Mandy: I don't care, OK? Just don't hang all over Lidnsey anymore.

Caitlin: Whatever, Mandy. I'll do what I want and see who I want. I don't care what you say.

And Caitlin closed her phone. So maybe she and Mandy WEREN'T friends after all. Would a real friend, who knew how she felt, be telling her to distance herself? Caitlin chose to ignore it. She'd talk to Lidnsey about it later. But for now, she decided that she'd pass the time by making herself some dinner.

Alex stared out the window at the zooming landscape. She felt so distant, so many miles away. Even though Lindsey was right next to her, she felt so isolated and alone. The note was starting to get to her. That, and a mixture of guilt from reading it.

"What's wrong, Panda Bear?" Lindsey asked, calling Alex by her pet name. The memories made Alex crack a smile.

"It's nothing. I just have a lot on my mind, I suppose."

"Like what? You know you can talk to me." Lindsey said comfortingly. Alex nodded her head.

"Well, Mandy gave me a note earlier today to give to you."

"I guess that you read it?"

"How..."

"You have that guilty face. You know, the one you used to get when you'd borrow a pencil and lose it?" Lindsey said with a smile. Alex sighed.

"That obvious?"

"Yeah. So, who was it from and what'd they want?"

"Well," Alex started. "Caitlin wrote you asking for a...second date."

"Gawd, I wish she'd get OFF of that!" Lindsey grumbled with a sigh tied into it. "It was ONE date! She's acting like she's in love with me or something!"

"Maybe she is? I don't know. I never talk to her." Alex suggested. Lindsey adjusted her sunglasses on her nose.

"So you wanna do something before I drop you off?" Lindsey asked. Alex shrugged her shoulders. "C'mon, Alex, I know there's something you wanna do."

"Nothing I can think of, really."

"Well, you wanna just hang out at my place? Maybe watch a movie or something?"

"Sure."

"Cool. That'll work." Lindsey said, finalizing the deal. She recalled that she was supposed to be doing the same thing with Caitlin. The thought made her wonder, was she REALLY that likable? Caitlin was drooling over her nonstop now, and Sam had practically screamed that she was jealous over Caitlin. Lindsey pushed the thoughts out of her head. She'd be spending the next few hours with her oldest friend.

"Hmmm...Looks like rain." Lindsey said, observing the sky. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, causing Alex to let out a high-pitched squeak. "Don't worry, you're safe. We're insulated by the rubber of the tires."

"You sure?" Alex asked nervously. She was sitting in the fetal position in the seat.

"Positive. Not to mention, we're here."

Lindsey pulled the car into the driveway of a small house, three bedrooms at the most. As the car came to a stop, rain began to pour from the sky. Lidnsey and Alex sprinted to the door and Lindsey fumbled with her keys, trying to find the correct one. She slid it into the lock, opening their way to dryness.

"Sorry about that. I can never find that stupid key. I have WAY too many..."

"Maybe." Alex replied with a small laugh. She shivered a bit.

"Come with me. You're gonna catch something if you stay in those clothes." Lindsey said, grabbing Alex's wrist. She led her into a mid-sized master bedroom, nothing particularly fancy inside. There was a queen-sized bed on a simple frame, a dresser, and a bedside table with a lamp and alarm clock on top of it. Lindsey walked over to a door, opening it, revealing a vast amount of clothes that Alex could hardly believe actually fit in the small closet.

"What are you okay with me wearing?"

"Anything, Alex. Your choice. I'm just gonna change into a tank top, though." Lindsey answered. She walked over to her dresser and opened one of the drawers, grabbing a black tank top. She tossed it on the bed and grabbed the bottom hem of her shirt, lifting it over her head and off of her body. Alex watched Lindsey closely, admiring how her toned body shone in the dim light of the lamp. She was gorgeous, the kind of perfect that Alex wanted to be, or to at least have. But no matter how many times she'd tried to hint it, tried to force Lindsey to see how she felt, it never seemed to sink in.

"Yeah, I'll be in the living room. Just come on out whenever you're done." Lindsey half-whispered, snapping Alex out of her head. The only evidence of what Alex had been thinking regarding her true feeling was the line of pink that had settled on her cheeks.

"O-okay. Thanks." Alex stammered. That was a little _too_ close...

Lindsey smiled and left the room, closing the door behind her. Alex was alone in the small bedroom, left to her thoughts and Lindsey's clothes. She approached the closet, rifling through the shirts. She slid hanger after hanger to the side, not finding anything that she was really in the mood to wear. She came upon a plain black t-shirt, and decided that she'd settle with that. Switching over to the other side of the closet, Alex went in search of pants. It didn't take her long to find a pair of red plaid sleep pants. She grabbed them from the hanger and slid out of her wet clothes and into Lindsey's dry ones. Taking her clothes into her arms, Alex walked into the living room. Just as she crossed the threshold, a flash of lightning lit up every corner of the room, and shortly after was a loud clap of thunder that shook the house. Alex let out a shriek, dropping her clothes on the floor. She began to kneel down, but was prevented from doing so by the pair of arms that had wrapped themselves around her. Lindsey lifted Alex into a standing position and held her close, letting the girl bury her head in her shoulder. There was another flash, and another boom, but this time Alex didn't even squeak.

"I think the power's out." Lindsey whispered. She slowly walked Alex over to the couch, sitting her down. "I'm gonna try and find some flashlights or something, okay? I'll be right back."

Alex looked up at Lindsey with wide, tear-rimmed eyes.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Alex grabbed one of the pillows that was on the couch and curled around it. She held it close, waiting for Lindsey to return with some for of light. Yet another flash illuminated the room, followed by the loudest blast of thunder out of all of them so far. Alex held her scream in, a tear falling down her cheek in its place. Shortly after, she heard Lindsey return and place something on the table. Alex looked over to see Lindsey strike a match, using it to light a candle. Then she used that candle to light three more, all of which she let sit on the coffee table. Lindsey took a seat next to Alex, who immediately abandoned the pillow, substituting it with Lindsey.

"It's just a storm, Alex. You're going to be fine." Lindsey said, trying to reassure Alex. She had known ever since they started hanging out that Alex was deathly afraid of thunderstorms. Lindsey had always done her best to make her friend feel safe during these acts of nature, whether it was by holding her or singing silly songs, or making shadow puppets by candlelight. She'd always managed to find a way. But this time, all she could do was hold on to Alex, hold on to her and let her know that she was alright.

An hour or so passed before the worst of the storm was over. There was still a heavy downpour, but the thunder had gone. Alex remained where she lay, her head on Lindsey's lap and her arms wrapped tight around her. Lindsey had one hand on one of Alex's arms and the other was stroking her hair affectionately. Lindsey assumed that Alex was asleep.

"You're definitely a character, you know that?" she whispered, a small smile on her face. "You really are. You manage to bring the best out of a crappy situation, which is something amazing in itself. I just wish I could tell you everything, Alex. I really do..."

Lindsey closed her eyes, allowing her fatigue take her over. She was exhausted. She wasn't sure if she'd actually fallen asleep, but there was a period of time that she was in a state of semi-consciousness that she wasn't pulled from until Alex sat up. Lindsey's head jerked up and her eyes opened. She rubbed her eyes and looked at Alex, who let out a yawn, stretching like a cat. Lindsey smiled at the sight.

"Feeling better?" Lindsey asked. Alex nodded.

"Yeah. Are you? You look a little less tired."

"I'm alright. Work's just taking a heckuva lot out of me."

"Where do you work?" Alex asked, sitting cross-legged on the couch. She held the same pillow from earlier in her lap. Lindsey let out a quick yawn.

"I do some stuff here and there for WOOHP. Again."

"Really!? Wow, after what happened, I thought you'd NEVER go back!"

Lindsey chuckled. "You know, I thought the same thing. But I just couldn't leave."

"Why's that?"

"There's just too much there that I refuse to let go." Lindsey answered. Alex's stomach did a back flip as she felt Lindsey's hand drift on top of hers. She didn't know whether or not it was an accident, but she gently took hold of Lindsey's hand, which was abnormally cold.

"You're freezing!" Alex exclaimed, grabbing Lindsey's hand in both of hers, rubbing it.

"I'm fine, I promise."

"No, you're seriously freezing..." Alex said, placing the back of her hand against Lindsey's cheek. She climbed on top of Lindsey, straddling her at the hips, and wrapped her arms around her. Alex hadn't noticed it before, but Lindsey was shivering.

"Uh, A-Alex? Is this really necessary?" Lindsey stammered. She struggled a bit under Alex, trying to squirm free, but the girl had no intention of letting her go.

"You're freezing cold, Lindsey! You're even shivering!"

"There's..." Lindsey started, whispering in Alex's ear. The warmth of her breath caused the hair on the back of Alex's neck to stand on end. "...more than one reason for someone to shiver..."

"L-like...what?"

"Well, I could be sick. You never know. Or maybe..."

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe I'm shivering for the same reason that you're blushing."

Alex didn't have a chance to reply before Lindsey pulled her into a deep kiss. Alex's heart was pounding in her head. almost drowning out the exclamations of pure euphoria that were fighting to escape. She was in bliss, shock, even. But all of this was overcome by another emotion, something completely different: fear. Alex pulled away, pausing to look at Lindsey before she jumped off of the couch. Lindsey stood as Alex broke into a run, going outside, the door slamming behind her. Lindsey sprinted after her, into the pouring rain, not even bothering with the door.

"Alex!" Lindsey called. Alex was standing at the end of the driveway, her back to the house. Lindsey walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Alex..."

Alex shook her hand off, refusing to look at her.

"Alex, please, don't do...Look, I know that I probably shouldn't have done that, but..." Lindsey started. She sighed, hanging her head. "I wouldn't take it back, even if I could."

"Lindsey," Alex said, turning slightly. "How do you...how do you feel about me? Honestly?"

Lindsey blinked. She let the question soak in.

"That's a fair question..."

"I know. I need to know, okay? I don't wan to keep playing this game, Lindsey. I can't do it..." Alex explained, turning to face Lindsey. Lindsey's eyes were on the ground, as if she were ashamed to look at Alex.

"I don't know...if I want to answer honestly."

"Why NOT!?" Alex asked, angry at the response. Lindsey sighed, running her hands through her hair.

"You were one of my first friends here, and you've always been the best friend I've ever had. You're always there for me when I need to talk, even when I don't know it yet. We have the perfect relationship, Alex."

Alex ran the words through her mind again. _We have the perfect relationship_...She was glad that it was raining, relieved that Lindsey couldn't see the tears that she was crying. She needed the truth, and her tears might change Lindsey's willingness to tell it.

"I would hate to ruin that relationship, Alex."

Alex fell to her knees, her arms falling limp at her sides. She could no longer hold in her sobs, which were now escaping loudly. She held her face in her hands, not wanting Lindsey to look at her like that, worried that she'd think less of her. Alex felt hands on her shoulders and looked up to see Lindsey, a solemn look on her face.

"I didn't finish. Alex, I feel stronger for you than I probably should. And no matter what, I'm not going to deny that...that I love you, Alex. I love you."

Alex threw herself into Lindsey, knocking her over. She continued to sob into Lindsey's chest, the girl's arms now tight around her. Lindsey stroked her hair, giving her a small kiss on the cheek as well.

"Alex, please don't cry. I hate to see you upset." Lindsey whispered. Alex sniffed hard a few times and wiped her face before looking up at Lindsey. There was a small smile on her face that was, in a way, terribly sad. Alex placed a hand on her cheek, leaning in, pressing their lips together. Their bodies melted together, a pleasurable heat coursing through Alex's body, seeming to flow directly from Lidnsey. Alex pulled away, holding Lindsey tight.

"We should get inside. We'll both die of pneumonia if we don't." Lindsey said. Alex nodded, but made no effort to move. She didn't want to let go. She never wanted to leave. Suddenly she felt herself being moved a bit, Lindsey shifting beneath her, and then she was being lifted off of the ground. Alex's head was against Lindsey chest, listening to the steady but quickened tempo of her heartbeat. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her as she let herself be carried into the house. Alex closed the door behind her and Lindsey as they passed the threshold. They were both soaking wet, dripping water all over the carpet, and then the couch as Lindsey laid Alex down. She turned to walk, but was stopped as Alex grabbed her wrist.

"Towels." was what Lindsey offered as an explanation. Alex pulled Lindsey down in response, as if saying "Not necessary, hun!". Lindsey positioned herself over Alex, supporting herself above her. They both began to shiver as the air-conditioning kicked on. Alex snaked her arms around Lindsey and jerked her down.

"'Sharing body warmth is the most effective way to stay warm.' Remember?" Alex said with a grin. Lindsey kissed her nose.

"I'm glad you remembered."

Alex blushed as she felt Lindsey's hand move up the back of her shirt. A shiver crept up her spine.

"You alright?" Lindsey asked. Alex nodded. Lindsey kissed Alex's cheek as her fingers played across her back. She pushed Alex's shirt up, leading Alex to take it off. It hit the floor with a soggy squelch, leaving Alex in her bra and the borrowed pair of pants she was in. She pushed Lindsey into a sitting position, agile fingers moving to unbutton the sopping shirt that stuck to Lindsey's body. It landed on the coffee table. Alex slid out of Lindsey's sleep pants and her panties at the same time, tossing them both aside carelessly, immediately moving to assist Lindsey with her jeans.

"You wear boxers?" Alex asked, grinning devilishly. She heard the heavy pair of jeans slide to the floor.

"M-maybe...Is there something wrong with that?" Lindsey asked, blood rushing to her face. Alex yanked her down. Their noses were touching.

"Not at all."

"Good." Lindsey whispered, regaining her composure. She slid her arms under Alex and unhooked her bra, holding it up triumphantly as if it were a trophy. She tossed it aside and leaned in, kissing Alex passionately. Lindsey separated herself, only to begin kissing a line down Alex's neck, to her collarbone, to her breasts...before she got any farther, she heard the phone ring.

"Ph...ph...phone..." Alex gasped. She was biting her lip, her fingers digging into the couch as she tried to contain herself, It was like her skin was on fire, and every time Lindsey's lips touched her, it was like adding another match to the blaze.

"Ignore it." Lindsey replied. She continued where she left off. She was making her way down Alex's toned stomach, taking care to go slow. She wanted Alex to want it and to know how close she was to getting it. The phone stopped ringing.

"A...a...ans...Oh, God...Answering ma...Jeeze...answering machine..." Alex interrupted again. Lindsey traced a line up Alex's stomach with her tongue and looked her in the eyes.

"It can wait, whatever it is."

Alex's face was bright red, and she was beginning to sweat. Lindsey flashed her a seductive smile before continuing on her stomach. Now she was down to her hip, so close. Lindsey heard whoever had called start their message, but tuned it out. She was slowly moving away from Alex's hip...closer...closer...

"L-l...Lindsey! You m-m...God, I hate myself...You might wanna actually listen!"

Lindsey sat up, listening. She heard the end of the message. Alex recognized the voice, but was too messed up to think straight. She couldn't have identified it if she'd wanted to.

"I...will be right back." Lindsey said as she got up, walking into her kitchen. The message cut off as soon as she got to her answering machine. She hit the playback button. One new message.

"Lindsey, this is Jerry. There's been an incident. We need your help. I know you just got back from your last mission, but you were gone for hardly a day. I do hope that you get back to me. I hate it when you turn your work phone off...And good job disabling all of the surveillance and WOOHP tunnels in your home. I know why you're our best. Just remember, this mission is of dire importance, and if you take too long, I will have no other choice but to come retrieve you myself. Have a lovely evening!"

Lindsey groaned.

"Who was it?" Alex asked from the living room.

"Jerry...He..." Lindsey's voice trailed off as she listened hard.

"He what?"

"Alex, get some clothes on."

"Wha...what?" Alex asked, confused.

"Just do it and hurry!" Lindsey shouted as she ran into the living room, sliding as she turned to get into her bedroom.

"What's going on?"

"Jerry's on his way!"

"HERE!?"

Lidnsey nodded. Alex jumped over the back of the couch and ran into Lindsey's bedroom. She practically dove into the closet. Lindsey leapt over the couch, grabbed up a. armful of wet clothing, and leapt back over the couch, running into her bedroom. Lindsey tossed the dripping pile into a corner and opened one of her dresser drawers, only to hear a sharp knock at her front door.

"Hello? Lindsey? I know you're home. Your vehicle is in the driveway."

"Shit!" Lindsey hissed. She fell over and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She picked herself up and left the room. "I gotta get the door, come out when you're dressed."

Alex hurried to pull a pair of gym shorts and a baggy t-shirt on. She peeked into the living room to see Lindsey chatting with Jerry. What did he want that was THIS important?

"That's ridiculous!" Alex heard Lindsey shout. She walked into the living room.

"We've already delayed this long enough."

"Jerry, you're killing me! I just got back. At least give me some time to unwind." Lidnsey pleaded. Jerry shook his head.

"We can't afford it."

"Send someone else, then! I'm not gonna be able to complete another mission on my own."

"Well, would you like me to get your old team together?"

"Yeah, if you want them coming back in body bags..."

"I'll go." Alex chimed in. Jerry and Lindsey both turned to face her. Jerry turned back to Lidnsey.

"Would that be alright with you?" he asked.

"Yeah. That would work." Lindsey answered, giving Alex a small smile. Alex knew that it was a silent thanks.

"So if you ladies would come with me, we can get back to WOOHP for your briefing."

Alex and Lindsey smiled at each other and followed Jerry into the driveway, climbing into the black WOOHP SUV.


End file.
